IC card reader

ABSTRACT

An IC card reader (2) according to the present invention comprises a lower cover (10) which forms a floor of a housing, an upper cover (20) which is installed on the lower cover (10) to form the housing together with the lower cover (10), and a circuit board (30) installed in an upper space of the upper cover (20). The lower cover (10) is provided with a swingable depressing part (12), the upper cover (20) is provided with an insertion slit (22) for the IC card, an insertion passage (23) communicated with the insertion slit (22), a window (24) opposing to an external terminal (1a) of an IC cad (1) inserted into the insertion passage (23) and swingable card protection arm (25) and the circuit board (30) is provided with a card connector (31). It is characterized in that the circuit board (30) is installed on the upper cover (20) so that the card connector (31) is opposed to the external terminal (1a) of the IC card (1) inserted into the insertion passage (23) through the window (24)

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a portable type apparatus for readinginformation recorded on an IC card.

2. Description of the Background Art

An apparatus shown in FIG. 4 has been known as a portable type IC cardreader. This apparatus 60 is constructed so that a connector 70, whichis formed as a separate unit from a housing, is built in the housing ofthe apparatus 60 and a connection terminal of the connector 70 isconnected to an external terminal of the IC card 78 to enable reading ofinformation stored on the IC card.

FIG. 5 shows a disassembled cross sectional view of the connector 70before the IC card 78 is inserted. In FIG. 5, 71 is a connectionterminal, 72 is a terminal holder, 73 is a groove, 74 is a frame, 75 isa spring, 76 is a rib and 77 is an inlet slit. The terminal holder 72 towhich the connection terminal 71 is attached has the rib 76 whichextends in a vertical direction at a side opposing to the inlet slip 77and is energized towards the inlet slit 77 by the spring provided behindthe rib 76. The terminal holder 72 is engaged with the groove 73provided in the frame 74 and moved along the groove 73 in the frame 74.

FIG. 6 shows a cross sectional view of the connector 70 after the ICcard 78 has been inserted. The connector 70 into which the IC card 78has been inserted comes in a state that the rib 76 of the terminalholder 72 is kept in contact with the extreme end of the IC card 78.When the IC card 78 is further inserted inwardly from theabove-described state, the terminal holder 72 is moved inwardly. In thiscase, the terminal holder 72 is moved down inwardly while being guidedby the groove 73 provided on the frame 74. The terminal holder 72 isslantly moved as the IC card 78 is moved in a horizontal direction. Theterminal holder 72 is moved as described above and to cause theconnection terminal 71 of the terminal holder 72 to be connected withthe external terminal of the IC card. When a power supply switch isturned on under this condition, the IC card reader 60 reads theinformation stored in the IC card 78.

However, the connector 70 has a complex construction including movingmembers and this complex mechanism of the connector 70 has resulted inmalfunctioning and contact abnormality. The connector 70 has been formedas a unit separated from the housing for its complex mechanism. In otherwords, the IC card reader has been doubly structured by combining theconnector 70 and the housing. Therefore, the IC card reader 60 hasincluded a larger number of component parts, and has been extremelyexcessive in its construction and configuration and uneconomical in theman-hours and costs for manufacturing. In addition, it has beendifficult to down-size the apparatus.

The present invention is intended to solve the above problems andimplement the following points.

(1) Improvement of certainty and reliability of the card readingoperation by simplifying the mechanism of the connector.

(2) Elimination of wasteful construction configuration as well asreduction of the number of component parts by forming the connector as aunit which is integral with the housing for simplification of theconstruction of the apparatus.

(3) Contribution to down-sizing and cost reduction of the apparatus bysimplifying the mechanism of the connector and the configuration of theapparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an IC card readercapable of solving the above-described problems. The IC card readeraccording to the present invention comprises a lower cover which forms afloor of an apparatus, an upper cover to be installed on the lower coverand a circuit board to be mounted on the upper cover.

The lower cover is formed with a bottom plate provided with a swingablepart (depressing part) for pushing the IC card from the rear side.

The upper cover is formed with an insertion slit for the IC card, aninsertion passage communicated with the insertion slit, a windowopposing to the external terminal of the IC card to be inserted into theinsertion passage, and a bottom plate provided With a swingable part (acard protection arm) for pushing the IC card, which is pushed from therear surface side by the depressing part of the lower cover, from thesurface side against depression by the depressing part.

The circuit board is formed with a board on which a card connector isprovided at a position opposing to the external terminal of the IC cardinserted into the insertion passage. A switching terminal for turning onand off the power supply is provided on the underside of the circuitboard.

The IC card reader according to the present invention accommodates theIC card which is guided into the insertion passage through the insertionslit. When the depressing part provided on the lower cover is pushed upunder this condition, the IC card is upwardly warped and accordingly theexternal terminal of the IC card is also moved upwardly. Therefore, theexternal terminal is connected to the connection terminal of the cardconnector. Upward movement of the external terminal is carried out in astable attitude since the depressing part and the card protection armsupport the IC card. In this case, the switch terminal is pushed by thecard protection arm and the swing end of the switching terminal connectsa contact provided on the circuit board. Thus, the circuit board becomeselectrically conductive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of an embodiment according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a disassembled perspective view of the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment after the IC card isinserted;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of an embodiment according to the priorart;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a connector before the IC card isinserted; and

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of a connector after the IC card isinserted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An IC card reader according to the present invention is described belowreferring to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a cross sectionalview of an apparatus as the IC card reader before an IC card is insertedtherein. FIG. 2 shows a disassembled perspective view of the IC cardreader with the constructions of respective component parts thereof.

As shown, the IC card reader 2 comprises a lower cover 10 which formsthe floor of the housing of the apparatus, an upper cover 20 which isinstalled on the lower cover 10 to form the housing of the apparatustogether with the lower cover 10, a circuit board 30 to be installed ina space provided on the upper cover 20, and a cover 50 which isinstalled on the upper cover 20 to seal the circuit board 30.

A depressing part 12, which is swingable in a vertical direction arounda hinge groove 12b as a fulcrum, is formed to be integral with thebottom plate 11 of the lower cover 10. This depressing part 12 serves topush the IC card 1 inserted into the apparatus onto the upper cover 20.Therefore, the depressing part 12 is disposed at a position suitable forpushing up the IC card 1. The swing end of the depressing part 12 isprovided with a bulged portion 12a having a gently curved surface so asto appropriately apply a depressing force to the IC card 1 withoutdamaging the IC card 1.

The insertion slit 22, the insertion passage 23 communicated with thisinsertion slit 22 and the window 24 are integrally formed on the bottomplate 21 of the upper cover 20. The insertion slit 22 is an elongateopening provided at one end of the bottom plate 21 to insert the IC cardinto the apparatus. The insertion passage 23 is a space formed betweenthe bottom plate 21 of the upper cover 20 and the bottom plate 11 of thelower cover 10. The window 24 is an opening provided at a positionopposing to the external terminal 1a of the IC card 1 inserted into theinsertion passage 23. A card connector 31 described later is insertedinto this window 24.

The card protection arm 25 which is swingable in the vertical directionaround the hinge groove 25b is formed on the bottom plate 21 of theupper cover 20. This card protection arm 5 is a member for pushing theIC card from the surface side of the IC card against depression by thedepressing part 12 so as to protect the surface of the IC card pushedfrom the rear surface side thereof by the depressing part 12 of thelower cover 10. The card protection arm 5 is arranged at, for example,both sides of the window 24. The swing end of this arm protection arm 25is provided with a bulged portion 25a having a gently curved surface asthe swing end of the depressing part 12. The top surface of the bulgedportion 25a protrudes below a connection terminal 32 described latertoward the insertion passage 23.

An upper space is formed in the upper cover 20 and the circuit board 30is installed in this space.

The circuit board 30 is provided on its upper and lower surfaces withpatterns for connecting a card connector 31, a switching terminal 40, abattery 34 and an LCD 33 which are described below, and fixed to theupper cover 20 by board fixing hooks 26 provided on the upper surface ofthe upper cover 20.

The circuit board 30 is provided with the card connector 31 and theswitching terminal 40 composed of a conductive spring plate on its lowersurface (a surface at the side of the upper cover 20). The cardconnector 31 is installed at a position opposing to the externalterminal 1a of the IC card 1 inserted into the insertion passage 23.This position is aligned with the position of the window 24 of the uppercover 20 whereby the connection terminal 32 of the card connector 31 isfaced to the insertion passage 23 through this window 24. The switchingterminal 40 is installed at its fixing end to the circuit board 30 bysoldering and kept in contact with the rear surface of the bulgedportion 25a of the card protection arm 25 at the swing end. The swingend of the switching terminal 40 connects the contact provided on thecircuit board 30 when the depressing part 12 of the lower cove 10 ispushed to actuate the card protection arm 25 of the upper cover 20.Thus, the circuit board 30 becomes electrically conductive (power ONstate).

The circuit board 30 is provided on its surface with the battery 34 fordriving the circuit and the LCD 33 for displaying the information storedin the card. The battery 34 supplies a power to the circuit board 30when the power supply is turned on. The LCD 33 which incorporates a CPUin which a specified program is stored in advance activates thespecified program when the power supply is turned on and displays theinformation read from the IC card according to the program.

The circuit board 30 is sealed by a cover 50 to be installed on theupper cover 20.

The cover 50 is provided with a window 51 at a position opposing to theLCD 33 of the circuit board 30. Therefore, the display of the LCD 33 canbe visually checked from outside the apparatus.

As described above, the upper cover 20 is installed on the lower cover10, the circuit board 30 is installed in the upper space of the uppercover 20 and the cover 50 is installed on the upper cover 20, therebyforming the IC card reader 2.

Reading operation of the IC card reader 2 according to the presentinvention is described referring to the drawings. FIG. 3 is a crosssectional view of the apparatus after the IC card has been insertedtherein.

As shown in the drawing, the IC card 1 inserted into the insertionpassage 23 from the insertion slit 22 is further inwardly inserted whilesliding on the bulged portion 25a of the card protection arm 25. Whenthe extreme end of the IC card 1 comes in contact with a stopper, notshown, the IC card is fixed at a position where the external terminal 1aon the IC card 1 is aligned with the window 24 of the upper cover 20.The external terminal 1a on the IC card 1 slides on the bulged portion25a and therefore the external terminal 1a is not damaged.

The IC card fixed by the stopper receives a depressing force appliedfrom the underside by the depressing part 12 when the depressing part 12of the lower cover 10 is pushed up by a drive source, not shown, forexample, manual operation. The IC card 1 is upwardly warped and theexternal terminal 1a is upwardly moved. The window 24 of the upper cover20 is provided above the external terminal 1a and the connectionterminal 32 of the card connector 31 is exposed through the window 24.Therefore, the external terminal 1a and the connection terminal 32 areconnected (see FIG. 3). In this case, the IC card is upwardly movedwhile being held by and kept in contact with the depressing part 12 andthe card protection arm 25. Accordingly, attitude of the IC card isstabilized and the external terminal 1a and the connection terminal 32are satisfactorily connected. As shown in the drawing, if the cardprotection arm is formed at two positions, the IC card 1 is upwardlymoved while being supported at three points. Consequently, the attitudeof the IC card 1 is further stabilized and the connection of theexternal terminal 1a and the connection terminal 32 is moresatisfactorily carried out. The bulged portions 12a and 25a providedrespectively on the depressing part 12 and the card protection arm 25serve to reduce frictional resistance applied to the IC card 1 when theexternal terminal 1a is upwardly moved. Therefore, this reduction of thefrictional resistance contributes to stabilization of the attitude ofthe IC card 1.

On the other hand, when the depressing part 12 is pushed up, the swingend of the switching terminal 40 connects the contact of the circuitboard 30 by the card protection arm 25 which follows the depressing part12. The power supply for the circuit board 30 is turned on. The cardreader 2 activates the specified program and starts reading of the ICcard 1 according to the program. The information of read from the ICcard 1 is displayed on the LCD 33.

When the IC card 1 is released from depression by the depressing part12, the IC card 1 is moved down and connection of the external terminal1a and the connection terminal 32 is canceled. Similarly, connection ofthe swing end of the switching terminal 1a and the contact of thecircuit board 30 is canceled. The LCD 33 is turned off and the IC cardreader 2 finishes reading operation.

As described above, in the IC card reader 2 according to the presentinvention 2, the card connector 31 and the circuit board 30 areintegrated and the card reading mechanism is fixed at the specifiedposition. The apparatus 2 is formed by integrating the lower cover 10and the upper cover 20 which form the housing with a mechanism forupwardly moving the IC card inserted into the insertion passage 23 as anassembly. Accordingly, the apparatus 2 can be formed to have the cardconnector and the housing which are integrated as one unit and thereforea mechanism of the conventional apparatus, that is a mechanism having aterminal holder 72, a frame 74 and a spring 75 can be eliminated.Consequently, the construction of the mechanism can be substantiallysimplified and the number of component parts can be reduced. Along withthe above, the number of manufacturing man hours and costs can also bereduced. In addition, the apparatus itself can be down-sized. Moreover,the movement of the IC card 1 inserted into the insertion passage 23 issimple and stable because the IC card 1 is only moved vertically.Therefore, the external terminal 1a of the IC card and the connectionterminal 32 of the card connector 31 can be satisfactorily connected.The certainty and reliability of reading operation can be improved byoperating the switching terminal 40 in conjunction with operation of thedepressing part 12 of the lower cover 10.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

1: IC card

1a: External terminal

2: IC card reader

10: Lower cover

11: Bottom plate of the lower cover

12: Depressing part

20: Upper cover

21: Bottom plate of the upper cover

22: Insertion slit

23: Insertion path

25: Card protection arm

30: Circuit board

31: Card connector

32: Connection terminal

40: Switching terminal

50: Cover

What is claimed:
 1. An IC card reader comprising:a lower cover (10)provided with a swingable depressing part (12), an upper cover (20)which is provided with an insertion slit (22) for an IC card, aninsertion passage (23) communicated with said insertion slit (22), awindow (24) opposing to an external terminal (1a) of the IC card (1)inserted into said insertion passage (23) and a swingable cardprotection arm (25), installed on said lower cover 10, and a circuitboard (30) which is provided with a card connector (31) on its undersidesurface and installed on said upper cover (20) so that said cardconnector (31) is opposed to the external terminal (1a) of the IC card(1) inserted into said insertion passage (23) through said window (24).2. An IC card reader according to claim 1, wherein a switching terminal(40) for connecting a contact provided on said circuit board (30) by apushing up operation of said depressing part (12) is installed on theunderside surface of said circuit board (30).